Lifter tick

Creomod · Sep 4, 2021

Ok guys I have a rebuilt engine I just did few months back I built but now I have a tick,click in my valvetrain. I'm assuming it's a lifter that is bleeding down too fast but I'm trying to distinguish that from having something wrong like shim,bent pr. Looking at the valve tips some have very slight wear. I'm running gt40 heads,scorpion PEDESTAL 1.6 rr,I think I'm using valvaline 10-30 with a comp cam break in with zinc. When I first started my engine I used royalpurple break in oil change from lmr. I have head serverl issues using royal so I decided to buy a oil change from valvalione because I guess it's proven to work. The reason I suspect a lifter that is bleeding down fast is because I opened it up few weeks ago and I noticed one of my 16 lifters had no resistance when i pushed down on its pr and to me that was weird. It had some resistance just not as much as the rest.Also it's hard to tell where the tick is coming from even with a stethoscope. So I guess question would be shouldn't that lifter be hard ass he'll when I press down on that pushrod or are they supposed to bleed out like that that quick? I say that quick because I turned off engine 2 hours ago and I all,lifters should be solid as he'll or is that normal? A lot any advice would be great. It did do it really on acceleration it's like depending how I push the gas sometimes if I let off I won't hear it on acceleration but then I can and it seems it getting worse. was a tick now it's a light clicking. And it has been doing for a while maybe after few weeks of running that engine. The acceleration sometimes tick sometimes no I am assuming it's the oil that's causing it the more I push the gas the more oil goes in the lifters?And that's where I'm thinking that maybe it's not getting oil in correctly or it's bleeding down to fast,the lifters are new so not sure if I can get a faulty lifter or is it my preload.?I have 2 lifters that are pretty new,they have been in an engine under 50 miles maybe 20 miles on them and I was thinking of replacing the suspect lifter with a slightly used one to avoid buying a entire new set for just one faulty new lifer can I do this. O oil pressure on my gauge 60 cold and warm 55 or something around there hardly any change

90sickfox · Sep 4, 2021

The lifter should be hard to push down when pumped up. If one thing dies something different than all the rest it's likely bad. There are several things that could make a lifter act up. If proper oil isn't getting to it it'll act the same way. If the lifter bore is damaged it will also keep the right oil pressure from getting in the lifter. You can usually check an oil problem by starting the car with that cover off and watching how the oil flows from the rocker. It'll make a mess sometimes but it's worth it.

If it was me I'd replace the lifter with a new one. When I had it out I'd check the lifter bore.

I don't use Royal either. Had an issue years ago and the machine shop said it was because of royal. I also don't like how royal is instantly black because of the dark purple color.

JD1964 · Sep 4, 2021

Sometimes an exhaust leak can sound like a valve ticking. Exhaust leaks are more pronounced while accelerating. Before going crazy chasing valve train things, make sure you have no exhaust leaks. Even a small one may be quiet at idle but audible under acceleration load.

manicmechanic007 · Sep 4, 2021

Lifter tick does not mean bleeding down. It means the lifter is not getting the oil it needs to function. Most likely a piece of debris in the lifter oil hole. However 10-30 is too thick for a factory roller lifter and it is easy to get too much Zinc. Only solid lifters really need Zinc. You did not mention which engine you rebuilt. The fact that you are worried about lifter pump up means you should re adjust the valves or at least the one that is noisy. There is a chance it never got pumped up in the initial startup. Simply let off enough pressure (back it off) to make it clack and then readjust the valve or retorque the pedestal

manicmechanic007 · Sep 4, 2021

For has a special tool to test lifter bleed down from back in the 50's You will have to fabricate your own. It uses the rocker nut or bolt in your case and you put reverse pressure on the cam to test the bleed down. Escort used to have leaky lifters and us dealer techs replaced hundreds of sets of followers (HLA's) on those early 1.6 and 1.9 motors. Not common on Windsor V8
Use 5-30 oil scrap all the additives
Let it break in with oil if it is not too late
Some synthetics are too slippery to allow any of the internals to break in properly

JD1964 · Sep 4, 2021

manicmechanic007 said:
(back it off) to make it clack and then readjust the valve or retorque the pedestal

In his first post he states the rocker arms are pedestal type. To change lifter preload on these you either have to use shims or different length pushrods. You can’t change the adjustment by turning the mounting bolt.

JD1964 · Sep 4, 2021

….and if they are pedestal type, ive never heard it recommend to loosen them while the engine is running.

manicmechanic007 · Sep 4, 2021

I did not say it is recommended in any book.
I said Loosen them with the engine running in case the lifter is collapsed
Just to get them to take oil son DGAF about which type I read the last post about his current issue

manicmechanic007 · Sep 4, 2021

If you need different length pushrods other than stock length
You have got worn out valve seats or stretched valves or other trouble milled heads decked block all not good for pedestal type
Machine them down drill and tap for screw in studs add guide plates

Creomod · Sep 4, 2021

Thanks guys yesterday are PEDESTAL type,I'm only running the zinc because to be honest I think it's still getting broken in. It gas under a few hundred miles if that. MAINLY just idling but still engine is running. Now I really don't have the cash to get a hold of a leak down tester plus I gotta to get the extension for it but I can get a compression tester.I was thinking to do a compression test before I take it apart.I just opened it up few weeks back because I wanted to find the source of the ticking visually inspect but NOW in the past few days I can REALLY here the ticking.Its getting louder. O and I already checked for exhaust leak,none.would inbe able to see if a valve is stuck open just a bit or a bent valve with just a compression test?

General karthief · Sep 4, 2021

If the valve is stuck open or bent it can show up as low or no compression.
Don't discount an exhaust leak, the symptoms are similar.

Creomod · Sep 6, 2021

General karthief said:
If the valve is stuck open or bent it can show up as low or no compression.
Don't discount an exhaust leak, the symptoms are similar.

Thanks ,yes I, picking a tester up today.I hope that’s not the case but if it is better to find it now

Lifter tick

Creomod

90sickfox

Wasn't a pretty sight...and I've got big hands

JD1964

there is enough sticking out to grab on to

manicmechanic007

manicmechanic007

JD1964

there is enough sticking out to grab on to

JD1964

there is enough sticking out to grab on to

manicmechanic007

manicmechanic007

Creomod

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

Creomod

Similar threads

Lifter tick

Wasn't a pretty sight...and I've got big hands

there is enough sticking out to grab on to

there is enough sticking out to grab on to

there is enough sticking out to grab on to

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency